


Taking Something For Yourself

by catandfox



Category: Doctrine of Labyrinths - Sarah Monette
Genre: F/M, M/M, Masturbation, Missing Scene, Overhearing Sex, The One Where Felix Skulks Off To the Water Closet To Masturbate, Well Isn't This Awkward
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-31
Updated: 2020-03-31
Packaged: 2021-02-26 16:29:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23412769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catandfox/pseuds/catandfox
Summary: Of course, we knew what they were doing. How could we not, with the walls as thin as paper and Mehitabel screeching like a cat in heat?On the way back from The Bastion, Mehitabel takes steps to stop Mildmay disappearing into himself - and Felix overhears everything.
Relationships: Mildmay Foxe & Felix Harrowgate, Mildmay Foxe/Mehitabel Parr
Kudos: 9





	Taking Something For Yourself

**Author's Note:**

> Missing scene from the end of The Virtu, on the way back from rescuing Mildmay from the Bastion, because it occurred to me that the walls would be thin and we know from The Mirador that Mehitabel isn't exactly quiet. I couldn't resist the idea of the other three sitting in the neighboring room pretending they couldn't hear anything.

Of course, we knew what they were doing. How could we not, with the walls as thin as paper and Mehitabel screeching like a cat in heat?

It started out innocently enough. After speaking to the rest of us, mired in our interminable card game, Mehitabel went into the room I shared with Mildmay to tell him we'd be leaving Medeia in the morning. I expected it to end there, but there was a pause and then a familiar deep mumble that had my heart leaping in my chest. He'd spoken to her, spoken for the first time since we'd left the Bastion.

I told myself I had no right to complain that he'd given those words to someone other than me. Even if he chose never to speak to me again, I had no right at all to mind it. In fact, I would deserve it

Simon gave me a small, encouraging smile and said, "It's your turn." I played a card almost without looking and Rinaldo made a thoughtful noise that suggested he, at least, would benefit from my distraction.

"_Yes, it does_." Mehitabel's voice, sharp and upset, followed by, "Mildmay, _please_." I exchanged a glance with Simon and Rinaldo, wondering how my brother had gone from silence to an argument in the time it took me to put a card on the table. He wasn't arguing though, it all appeared to be on Mehitabel's side. When he replied his voice was the same: measured and even in that infuriating way he had.

Rinaldo played a card and the turn passed again to Simon. The disagreement seemed to have passed; their voices were low again and although I strained to hear I couldn't make out the words. 

"Felix," Simon said quietly. I looked at the table and realised that I had no idea which card he, or Rinaldo before him, had played. I fumbled a card to the table at random.

"I believe Simon wins this round," Rinaldo said, and swept up the cards to shuffle and deal again. 

Mehitabel laughed and my stomach knotted itself. Mildmay was telling jokes? Then she made a noise that suggested telling jokes was very much not what he was doing. I felt myself blush, but there was no graceful way to excuse myself and where would I go in any case? I tried to concentrate on the cards.

I wasn't sure if Simon was trying to spare my blushes or being careful of Mildmay's privacy when he started an enthusiastic conversation about dinners in the Mirador. In the Bastion the food had been poor and not plentiful, and he and Rinaldo had time enough to plan what they'd eat first on their return.

"Roast chicken for me," Rinaldo replied, jolly and pitched to try and cover Mehitabel's increasingly strident cries. "With as many vegetables as I can find."

"And onion gravy," Simon agreed. He played a card.

"And second helpings of everything."

I let out a breath I hadn't realised I was holding when the noise climaxed and then subsided, and made a nonsensical comment about desserts as I put down a card I should have kept in my hand. 

Mildmay hadn't made a sound, I realised, and a snide little voice in the back of my mind said, _Maybe he didn't enjoy it_. 

More laughter from the other room, and then it became apparent Rinaldo wasn't the only one thinking about second helpings.

Mildmay moaned, a short sound bitten back as if he didn't want it to escape. There was a dizzying moment where my blood tried to rush to both my face and my groin at the same time. I stared very hard at the cards in my hand and found I couldn't even remember the game we were playing.

"Oh, God, yes! Right like that! Like _that_!" And then Mehitabel was making little rhythmic yelping noises that left no doubt as to what they were doing. I couldn't help but wonder if Mildmay was on top, or she was, or if he was taking her from behind. He hadn't made another sound, and all I could think of was of him pressed naked against me.

Mehitabel came again. I heard her snarl "Take something for _yourself_, damn you!" A moment later, as I finally understood why he hadn't made any noise, Mildmay came with a sudden cry of need and release that left me hard. I was glad we were seated at a table, that Simon and Rinaldo couldn't see.

They were still talking about food, I realised, and appeared to have given up getting me to respond. Rinaldo dealt another hand of Dragon's Clutch as if nothing at all had gone on in the room next door. The room was too warm, and I sat very still and breathed but it didn't help. For a long while I'd only feared for Mildmay's life and sanity but now all of my feelings for him, including the ones he'd made clear were unreciprocated, came flooding back.

I didn't have any right to want him, but I did anyway.

"I need some air." I bolted for the door, and only hoped they didn't notice I was still half erect.

It was only in safety of the water closet that I let myself think of what I wanted to do, what I _could_ do, to have Mildmay cry out like that for me. The thought of taking him in my mouth had me fully erect again, and I fumbled with the pot of soapy ointment by the washstand for lubrication. As I knelt and slicked it up my length I imagined I was doing it to him, _for_ him, and shivered with need.

My hand moved, hot and silky. Mildmay could take me from behind, thrusting hard and fast - but that was no good, I couldn't see his face. I wanted his hair half loose from its braid, green eyes wide and dark, biting his lip to keep back the noises that threatened to spill from him. They threatened to spill from me, too, and I bit into the top of my arm. I wanted to see his expression as he thrust, his mouth opening as he can't hold back, and then my mouth is on his, swallowing his cries as he's swallowing mine, moving together, and I feel the heat of him coming into me and cry out as I shudder and shoot into my other hand.

Shivering and spent, my first coherent thought was, _I hope I was quiet_.

I cleaned up quickly, and a brief check of the mirror showed I was composed and not as flushed and wanton as I felt. I opened the door.

And Mehitabel was in the corridor outside, reaching for the handle.

So much for composed. I felt myself go red and blurted the first thing that came into my head. "How was Mildmay?" _Idiot, as if she could take that any other way than asking how he is in bed._

If she thought I was asking that, she didn't show it. "Better than he was, Sunshine" she said, and I heard the unspoken _No thanks to you_.

There was nothing I could think of to say. Even a simple thank you seemed barbed, fraught with the suggestion I was grateful she'd slept with him, that she'd done it as a favor. I settled for nodding my head and went back to Simon and Rinaldo.


End file.
